Speaking through an interpreter, Jorge Saavedra Perez admitted he intended to cause injury to Jamie Hernandez by shooting him in the arm on Dec. 3 –– resulting in his death.

Judge Roger Prokes explained to Perez that by pleading guilty, he would be giving up his right to a trial, as well as the state’s having to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He would also give up his right to request a change of venue or judge, produce witnesses and evidence on his behalf, and a right to appeal his conviction.

He further explained there is no mandatory minimum sentence for a manslaughter conviction and the maximum punishment is from five to 15 years in the Department of Corrections.

Following his acceptance of the guilty plea, Judge Prokes ordered the preparation of a Sentencing Assessment Report of Perez. That report will be prepared by the Missouri Department of Probation and Parole and will provide detailed information regarding the background and history of the defendant.

Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney David Baird said he is pleased the investigation and prosecution of the tragic incident resulted in the conviction of the defendant.

“This is a result of tireless hours of investigation and work by officers from the Maryville Public Safety Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, by the Nodaway County Coroner and by representatives of the Winona County, Minn. Sheriff Department,” Baird said. “The guilty plea ensures the defendant will be sentenced for his actions and simultaneously negates any possibility of appeal.”

Baird said the Department of Immigration has been notified of this result so they may take appropriate action in connection with the current immigration detainer filed against Perez once he has finished serving the sentence imposed by the Court.

Baird said the plea conforms with the facts as developed by the investigation in the case.

"As with any case involving ongoing confrontations between two people who know each other, the incident usually involves poor choices and confrontations by both parties to the incident," he said. "For that reason, the law provides that an act which was intended to cause physical injury which results in the death of one of the individuals is voluntary manslaughter if the person was acting in response to a confrontation or provocation by the victim."

Baird said all the witnesses in the case confirmed that Hernandez had ongoing physical and verbal confrontations or arguments with Perez prior to and on the day of the incident. In addition, evidence at the preliminary hearing from the State's witnesses established that Hernandez initiated a physical assault on Perez immediately prior to the shooting. It was also admitted that Hernandez had a knife in his hand during the confrontation, but it was disputed whether the knife was in the victim’s hand at the time of the shooting. During the confrontation between the two men, Perez shot Hernandez in the shoulder, but the bullet transected the body, striking Hernandez in the chest, resulting in his death.

"The law makes the actions of the victim relevant to the response and decision-making by the defendant," Baird said. "By this plea the family is assured the matter is concluded, we have avoided the appeal that would follow any conviction at trial and reached the same result as would have occurred had a trial actually been held."

Perez remains in custody in the Nodaway County Jail awaiting his sentencing.